Light Twin Class D Operations - Harbor Pilot Shuttle

[andTompkins]

I'm looking for information on Class D operations of light twin helicopters for harbor pilot missions.

Are any of the following aircraft approved to perform this mission:
A109
Bell 427
EC135
MD900 / MD902

Muchas gracias!

Tompkins

[Sir Cumference]

I know that the A109 is used and is very successful. The 902 was used in Shanghai but was involved in an accident. That is the only 902 that I am aware of flying the mission. Tail rotor authority is a prerequisite so I would be loath to use a NOTAR type on that kind of mission.

[Cyclic Hotline]

The MD 900 and Agusta 109E have both been used on the Columbia River Bar Pilots operation in Oregon.

Does your question relate to FAA Class D operations? If so, both machines were operated under an FAA waiver, demonstrating an equivalnet level of performance, as they are not certificated under Transport Category A performance, see B, (1), below.

§ 133.45 Operating limitations.
In addition to the operating limitations set forth in the approved Rotorcraft Flight Manual, and to any other limitations the Administrator may prescribe, the operator shall establish at least the following limitations and set them forth in the Rotorcraft-Load Combination Flight Manual for rotorcraft-load combination operations:

(a) The rotorcraft-load combination may be operated only within the weight and center of gravity limitations established in accordance with §133.43(c).

(b) The rotorcraft-load combination may not be operated with an external load weight exceeding that used in showing compliance with §§133.41 and 133.43.

(c) The rotorcraft-load combination may not be operated at airspeeds greater than those established in accordance with §133.41 (b), (c), and (d).

(d) No person may conduct an external-load operation under this part with a rotorcraft type certificated in the restricted category under §21.25 of this chapter over a densely populated area, in a congested airway, or near a busy airport where passenger transport operations are conducted.

(e) The rotorcraft-load combination of Class D may be conducted only in accordance with the following:

(1) The rotorcraft to be used must have been type certificated under transport Category A for the operating weight and provide hover capability with one engine inoperative at that operating weight and altitude.
(2) The rotorcraft must be equipped to allow direct radio intercommunication among required crewmembers.

(3) The personnel lifting device must be FAA approved.

(4) The lifting device must have an emergency release requiring two distinct actions.

[andTompkins]

Great info guys! Thanks!

So if the 902 and 109 both operate under a waiver, that would mean they are not certified out of the box ... say through a flight manual supplement ... to operate Class D?

Just wanting to make sure I don't have my wires crossed.

Thanks again!

[Ned-Air2Air]

I know that a few of the French marine pilots operations use the EC135 as have seen photos of them.

South Africa are using the A109 and in Australia they are also using a Bell 222 and 430.

NHV Helicopters in Belgium operate an SA365 (not sure if N2 or N3).

Cheers

Ned

[Giovanni Cento Nove]

An example as the data is at hand -

Eurocopter EC135P2

FMS 9.1-1 Category A Operations

LBA Approved JUL 10 2001 FAA APPROVED AUG 2002 EASA APPROVED JAN 27 2004

Configuration requirements:

Day:
Engine Fire extinguisher system
Radar Altimeter
Artificial Horizon

Night:
Search and Landing Light

Performance from RFM:
MTOW Cat A Vertical (Elevated)
SL @ Max Gross Mass (2835kg) up to 36 deg C

SL @ 2550kg OEI Hover @ 36 deg C
SL @ 2650kg OEI Hover @ 20 deg C

Don't confuse Cat A Certification and Cat A Operations. I think you will find that the Part 27 aircraft are certified to operate in Cat A operations with the equivalent requirements of Part 29 as far as it affects this type of operation.

[JimL]

It's a pity that FAR 133.45(e)(1) makes the statement:type certificated under transport Category A because it implies that a FAR 27 certificated helicopter cannot be considered for Class D HEC (the hoisting of passengers for hire). A complementary statement appears MG 12 of in AC 27-1B:Part 27 is not eligible for RLC Class D, because of the current restriction of § 133.45(e) that limits use of RLC Class D to Part 29 Category A rotorcraft (under the performance limits prescribed in § 133.45(e).)This is not the case for regulations in other States which do not have the equivalent of FAR 133 (hence no such prohibition from hoisting for hire).

There is another twist to this because there is a difference between FAR 27.865 and CS 27.865; CS 27.865 has an additional paragraph (c)(6):(6) For human external cargo applications requiring use of Category A rotorcraft, have one-engine-inoperative hover performance data and procedures in the flight manual for the weights, altitudes, and temperatures for which external load approval is requested.It was suggested, during consultation, that this paragraph (which appears both in FAR and CS 29.865) be added to Part 27 as part of the amendment; the JAA agreed and added it but the FAA did not.

The method of compliance for establishing hover performance is specified in MG 12 of AC 29-2C and in MG 12 of AC 27-1B (but is not required by AC 27 - which states once again that a Part 27 helicopter is not eligible for Class D HEC): When hovering OGE or IGE at maximum OEI hover weight, an engine failure should not result in an altitude loss of more than 10 percent or 4 feet, whichever is greater, of the altitude established at the time of engine failure. In either case, sufficient power margin should be available from the operating engine(s) to regain the altitude lost during the dynamic engine failure and to transition to forward flight.In the absence of compulsion in AC 27-1B but with the replication of the text from FAR/CS 29.865(c)(6) in CS 27.865, it is it is likely that EASA will require compliance with the applicable text quoted above.

We already know that Part 27 helicopters can be certificated in Category A by meeting the requirements of Appendix C (which calls up a number of paragraphs from FAR/CS 29 - dealing with redundancy, the build standard and performance). The additional of CS 27.865(c)(6) in the European regulations now brings the Part 27 helicopter into play for HEC Class D.

As we have already heard, the latest Part 27 twins (EC135, MD902, B429 and A109) and the EC145 are ideally suited for HEC Class D - and Marine Pilot Transfer in particular. No doubt this fact has already been recognised by the FAA and an exemption from FAR 133.45(e)(1) put into place - probably as an OpSpec.

In answer to the question from ‘andTompkins’ most of the machines mentioned are already Certificated in Category A - at least in Europe - and are ideally suited (and are being used) for Marine Pilot Transfer and other forms of HEC Class D. The amendment of regulations in the US takes an inordinate amount of time and effort - hence the reliance upon exemptions via OpSpecs.

Jim

Edited for accuracy

[JimL]

Just to add some closure to this subject.

Here is the extract from the final rule posted by the FAA in "Docket No. 29277; Amendment No. 27-36 and 29-43" in August 1999Two commenters recommended creating a new Sec. 27.865(c)(6). The first commenter noted that part 27 has recently been amended (Amendment 27-33) to add a Category A performance provision and recommended that Sec. 27.865(c)(6) be added to part 27. The second commenter recommended revising Sec. 29.865(c)(6) to include multi-engine rotorcraft having Category A engine isolation design features and adding an identical Sec. 27.865(c)(6) requirement. The second commenter also recommended that Sec. 133.45(e)(1) be revised to include Class D operations with multi-engine part 27 rotorcraft having Category A engine isolation design features. The FAA agrees in principle that a multi-engine part 27 Category A rotorcraft could provide an adequate level of performance that would permit a safe Class D operation; however, changing Sec. 133.45(e)(1) to permit this is beyond the scope of the proposals. The FAA will consider these changes for future rulemaking.As was stated in my post above, the JAA made the change to incorporate JAR/CS 27.865(c)(6) and closed the loop. As there was no JAA equivalent to FAR 133, appropriately certificated Part 27 helicopter became eligible for HEC Class D - and that was the end of the matter in Europe.

Jim